Book XII of the Protector
by Anmras
Summary: Legolas finally gets to return home after his long ordeal in Rohan, but everything isn't as it seems. He can since the panic in the forest and knows that wihtout him there, someone else has taken over. Someone who he thought he could trust all his life...
1. Chapter 34

Chapter 34  
  
Legolas left the blade behind, lying in the new green grass. His ride was far from smooth, but comfortable. There was a short bed in the carriage along with a table with a goblet of wine set in a groove nearest him. Legolas took in the scent of Mirkwood on the blankets and the drink. He missed that smell so badly, but not near as much as he did his father and Elenest. They would round the edge of Mirkwood for two days until they came to the road and entered.  
  
By mid-day the sky was clear and the weather warm. The high trees had been following them for awhile and appeared high and mighty alongside.  
  
The day passed and Legolas ate food from his home eagerly. Crispy breads, fresh greens and a small cut of cooked meat that had been reheated during their short break. They traveled on into the night. Legolas was sleepless thanks to the constant rocking of the cart, but not that alone. He felt too anxious to get home and see his family again.  
  
The next day was dark and rainy, but Legolas could only feel joy. The elves showed now sign of emotion as most guards did, but normally Legolas would talk with them whenever he was traveling. He hadn't a conversation in the last twenty-four hours and was desperate for one now.  
  
He leaned his head out the window and took in the scent of the rain. The elf beside him was wet but still rode on as though made of a strong crystal.  
  
'Will it rain for long?' Legolas asked.  
  
'No, your highness.' responded the elf without looking at him. 'It will begin to snow before long.'  
  
'That's a shame. Is there snow fallen at home?'  
  
'Yes, your highness.' said the elf, finally turning to look at him. 'You'll find there are a lot of changes.' Legolas suddenly felt a piece of ice fall down his shirt. He shuddered and pulled himself inside, but found that the shiver was still there. That look the escort guard gave him... it was so strange.  
  
They finally stopped at the end of the day when they had reached the road and Legolas got to sleep. His dreams were not peaceful.  
  
Whirls of shadows, fire, knives, and screeches of pain from all around. He moaned in his sleep from stabs of burning that appeared and faded quickly. He heard Elenest screaming and the wailing of a child. He saw bright red blood and his soul froze.  
  
He saw a baby. A child in his hands, dying. He was by a farmhouse with broken windows.  
  
The child had blonde hair.  
  
Pointed ears.  
  
The child was dead.  
  
Legolas awoke with a yell. He was breathing hard and fast. Sweat was pouring off his temples. He was moving, bouncing up and down and swaying left to right. He lost his mind for a moment and fell off the bed in his carriage.  
  
Waves of panic and confusion were hitting him from all sides. It was like he was in a disaster zone where a flood or rockslide had just buried many people. His eyes were wide and alert. A scream echoed through the air.  
  
He looked out the window and saw... nothing. There was snow falling peacefully around the carriage going through the forest on a wide road with frozen ice patches that made the ride almost bumpier then when they were traveling outside the forest.  
  
Another wave of sensed panic fled over him, but the scene around him was so peaceful, so quiet and serene.  
  
The trees...  
  
The trees were panicking.  
  
The trees were screaming.  
  
'What's going on?' cried Legolas. 'Why is Mirkwood in such panic and confusion?'  
  
'One of the changes before you left, your highness.' said the guard who he had tried to talk to before. 'I think you'll be quite anxious to see it.'  
  
Legolas wished he had his blade. This was not an elf of Mirkwood, this was the guard of some evil place and part of why the forest was in such fear.  
  
He withdrew his head again and looked around the carriage. This was the first time he realized there was no weaponry in there. He looked around silently as another wave of the panic hit him.  
  
Legolas looked over his shoulder to see the guard watching him with dead eyes. It was like the pupils had suddenly disappeared so they were blank.  
  
Slowly, Legolas reached down and grabbed one of the table legs. He began to twist it, trying to turn it loose from the floor and tabletop.  
  
Like a flash of lightening, a sword from the other window opposite of the bed came hurling towards him. He duck out of the way and it grazed his ear, cutting some of his hair off in the process. The tip of the sword stuck in the wood on the other side and Legolas stood up quickly, kicking out the window to make the man let go.  
  
After yanking the sword loose from the wood he leapt out of the back of the carriage. The horses reared and the elves screamed angrily. Legolas shut his eyes tightly as he swiped at the knees of one horse. The steed whinnied in pain and collapsed, the rider rolling away into the ditch. Legolas barely had time to block another attack from an approaching horseman.  
  
He thrust the blade into the gut of another horseman and he fell from the horse. Legolas sprinted and caught up with it. He leapt on top and began to turn around, galloping towards the two other riders.  
  
The clang of swords and trotting of hooves was the only sound that echoed through the forest where the snow fell quietly.  
  
Legolas's horse tripped on the body of the first rider he killed and screamed like a human when it landed. Legolas knew that it must've broken a leg and felt for it. It wasn't this creature's fault. It was innocent.  
  
He didn't have time to delay since another attack came at him from the elf whose horse he had crippled. Legolas spun and elbowed him in the gut. It was like hitting rock and he could feel a harsh pain all over his arm.  
  
The battle continued on until Legolas was forced to try and run. He knew he wouldn't get far, the road was straight and there was nothing to hide him from the other two rider's blades. He was already out of breath and had to drag his arm which was growing numb and sore.  
  
It wasn't long before the riders caught up and began to circle around him. He lifted up his sword, his arm dangling uselessly at his side.  
  
Just as the rider lifted his sword, a whinny erupted from the woods. Legolas looked over his shoulder just in time to see a huge horse with a bay coat headbutt him. He was in the air for a moment before bouncing on the horse's back. He dropped his sword and grabbed at the mane with his good arm. When he looked down he was shocked.  
  
It was the horse he had bought and freed in Rohan!  
  
.  
  
Did I not tell you that horse would come back? Didn't I? Didn't I?  
  
Well, there's the first chapter of the last book, WAIT! What is that below? Read on and see!  
  
Legolas didn't have to look over his shoulder to know the two riders were catching up. The horse had been free for awhile now and had grown fat from feasting somewhere where green grass still grew. It was slowing down.  
  
Legolas kicked the horse's flanks but it could go no longer. It reared and spun around. Legolas began to slide off the back. A rope suddenly clutched the horse's hoof and if fell. Legolas cried out at the pain in his arm and rolled over the fresh snow, leaving behind a pressed path.  
  
He made impact with a tree. He felt as though a loud bang ripped through his body and blackness took him over. 


	2. Chapter 35

@ Irish Babe/Elvish Bride (hey, u changed ur nick didn't u?) – I'm never going to admit this again, but I LOVE CLIFFHANGERS! There! I said it!  
  
Chapter 35  
  
This time, his dreams went unremembered save for the bursts of flaring pain that were unforgettable.  
  
Shadows speckled his vision like faint ghosts as he blinked his eyes. A bed was beneath him. He was covered by a blanket. Was he safe? No, he could still feel a panic that came from the woods all around him.  
  
By the door was an elf with torn robes and bare feet. His toes and lips were blue, but he didn't tremble. His eyes were so written in fear that Legolas wanted to embrace him.  
  
He couldn't move. He tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness struck him and something tight clinched his sides and wrists. He fell back against a pillow. He realized that his arm no longer hurt at all, like nothing had happened. He lifted his head weakly to look at it.  
  
It was surrounded by chains. Chains that bound him tightly to his bed. He pulled on them but they were strong. They were bound around his sides, knees, neck and ankles. He was practically immobile. He looked to the elf at the door.  
  
'Why am I chained to a bed?' he asked.  
  
'Oh! Your awake!' the elf's eyes widened as though they had witnessed a miracle. 'I'll go tell her now!' With that, he turned and rushed out the door. Legolas was left alone in the room.  
  
He noticed how cold he felt. He tried to look down at himself, but was unable to see what he was wearing. He could feel the cloth rubbing against him tightly. It was soft and comfortable. Maybe just because he was comparing them to a hard tunic and worn leggings that he had worn for the past two months.  
  
He tugged and pulled against the chains until he was too exhausted to move anymore. He felt as though he drift off back to sleep when the door open.  
  
Two large, dark creatures entered. Long goat-horns stretched out from behind their furry pointed ears and they had lion's feet and a bear's claws. Their clothes were black and red. They each had two swords on their left and right. One had a small rusty key around his neck.  
  
Suddenly, the room got foggy. Legolas was scarcely aware that the chains were being taken off and he was being lifted off the bed. He noticed that he was wearing a long white shirt and light gray leggings. They fit him well. They felt as though they were made for him.  
  
He realized the fog was fading and he struggled with the two elves at his side. His hands were tied tightly behind his back. They were pushing him roughly, but he still struggled.  
  
They were in a narrow hallway when Legolas finally broke free of their grip. He stumbled for a moment, feeling like he was suddenly drunk. He fell forwards and his head struck the cold floor.  
  
He noticed the tiles. The creamy-colored tiles with a light pattern of grays and powder blues. He recognized them.  
  
'What do you want with me?' he said to the two elves that were lifting him up again. 'Why are you doing this?' he knew they wouldn't answer his questions.  
  
He was dragged from that hallway into a tall room. He looked up, still dazed, and saw that there was a hole in the roof. Dark clouds hovered overhead, blocking out any light.  
  
The two guards threw him down on his knees in the middle of the room. Legolas found it hard to stay balanced. His head felt heavy and sore.  
  
Someone else was here.  
  
'Welcome home, Legolas.' said a soft, almost kind voice. Legolas suddenly felt so weak he could no longer hold himself up. He fell on his side, breathing quickly. It was like a large invisible hand was squeezing the air out of him. He began wheezing loudly, the sounds echoing throughout the room.  
  
'I waited for you... for awhile.' said the voice. 'But you stayed away for a long time. I didn't have to wait any longer.' Legolas shut his eyes. He felt so weak, he thought he was dead.  
  
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. It was like a wave of force hit him and he was restored. He felt so much better, but was still breathing fast. His eyes widened at the sight before him.  
  
'F... Fa... ther?' he wheezed.  
  
Before him, bound tight to a high post with a beam along the top, was King Thranduil. He was unconscious and there were open wounds all over him, showing through his torn clothing. Legolas felt a wave of sorrow as he noticed how skinny he was and how much pain he was in.  
  
'I decided to have a little fun while you were gone.' Legolas was still breathing quickly when he saw two feet approach him. The barely poked out of the hem of a white dress with a blue stripe that rose up.  
  
Legolas rolled onto his back to see the person who had him lying here, so weak and helpless.  
  
His eyes focused on the person that made the forest panic so brutally.  
  
They widened at the sight of the elf who had his father half-dead tied to some post. 


	3. Chapter 36

@ Irish Babe/Elvish Bride – All is revealed in this chapter *PLEASE don't hurt me! The story WRITES ITSELF!*  
  
@ Elven-Star-of-Gold – It was hard to keep going at some parts of this story, but I've found my muse again! I'm almost done the LAST (I repeat) LAST book and and on the second chapter, so keep a veddy veddy close vatch!  
  
This chapter is circled around a song called 'If Only Tears Could Bring you Back to Me.' by Midnight Sons.  
  
Chapter 36  
  
'El... Ele... nest?' Legolas wheezed. He could slowly feel his strength coming back.  
  
'Legolas.' said the woman in front of him. 'You look so tired! You were all high and mighty down in Rohan, but you're just a weak as a babe right now, aren't you?'  
  
Something solid struck Legolas in his side and he was forced onto his knees. He screamed from the pain. Still breathing rapidly, he looked up at her.  
  
~How will I start,~  
  
~Tomorrow without you here?~  
  
~Who's heart will guide me,~  
  
~When all the answers disagree?~  
  
'Get... out... of... here...' wheezed Legolas. 'They... will... get... you... too! Run!' he found his voice was very quiet. Elenest only threw her head back and laughed. That beautiful, heavenly laugh.  
  
~Is it too late?'  
  
~Are you too far gone to stay?'  
  
'You're so stupid, you know that?' she smiled down at him. A snowflake fell in between them. It melted as it hit the ground. 'I mean, come on, Legolas! Who else could have planted that knife as proof you killed that elf in the courtyard?'  
  
~Best friends forever,~  
  
~Should never have to go away.~  
  
'...you?' Legolas gasped as he fell on his side again. Another blow struck him and he was back on his knees.  
  
'Who else?'  
  
A thousand thoughts raced through Legolas's mind and he couldn't control them. She couldn't have! She's my one true love! I love her with all my heart!  
  
~Look in my eyes,~  
  
~You'll see a million tears have gone by,~  
  
'No... it's... not...' He fell forward, took weak to do anything but think. Emotions began to overrun him.  
  
~If only tears could bring you back to me.~  
  
~If only love could find a way.~  
  
~What I would do what I would give if you,~  
  
~Returned to me, someday,~  
  
~Somehow, Someway.~  
  
~If only tears could bring you back...~  
  
~To me.~  
  
'Elenest... you... don't... know... what... your... thinking.' he gasped. 'There's... something... wrong.'  
  
Suddenly, something coiled around Legolas's neck and lifted him off his feet. He could do nothing to stop it. His air supply was cut off.  
  
'Nothing's wrong here Legolas.' said Elenest. 'This is who I always was. I am not on your side. You've fallen in love with an enemy.'  
  
'No!' choked Legolas. Black spots began to speckle his vision.  
  
~I've cried you an ocean,~  
  
~If you say I'm home, I am.~  
  
~Wings of emotion,~  
  
~Will carry you and all they can.~  
  
The coil released Legolas and he fell on the floor. He took in air endlessly. He felt so weak.  
  
'Not... real...' he wheezed. 'Can't... be...'  
  
~Just let them guide you,~  
  
~And your heart will chart the course.~  
  
~Soon you'll be drifting,~  
  
~Into the arms of your true north.~  
  
Elenest kneeled down and stared at Legolas. She slowly crawled over him until they were face-to-face.  
  
~Look in my eyes, you'll see,~  
  
~A million tears have gone by,~  
  
~And still there not dry.~  
  
'I... love... you...' Legolas whispered. For a moment, her eyes twinkled. She leaned forward and gently kissed him.  
  
~If only tears could bring you back to me.~  
  
~If only love could find a way.~  
  
~What I would do what I would give if you,~  
  
~Returned to me, someday,~  
  
~Somehow, Someway.~  
  
~If my tears could bring you back...~  
  
~To me.~  
  
Legolas lifted up his arms and cupped her face. He kissed her back. She was his. The love was theirs.  
  
~I hold you close,~  
  
~And shout the words,~  
  
~I only whispered before.~  
  
'Legolas...' Elenest leaned away.  
  
~For one more chance,~  
  
~For one last dance.~  
  
~There's not a plain,~  
  
~That I forget we know.~  
  
'You fell in my arms. You're weakness is your pleasure, and you know it.' she stood up. 'You thought you had it all. You thought you had happiness delivered to you on a platter.'  
  
~If only tears could bring you back to me.~  
  
'Now, you'll realize how pain really works. How true agony really feels.'  
  
~If only love could find a way.~  
  
~What I would do what I would give if you,~  
  
~Returned to me, someday,~  
  
~Somehow, Someway.~  
  
~If my tears could bring you back...~  
  
~To me.~  
  
'Mirkwood is mine.'  
  
.  
  
.  
  
How many of you suspected THAT? CAUTION: The next book will be the LAST BOOK! VERY LAST! END! ZIP! NADA... so stay tuned ;). 


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